2017 Boys Town Silver Dollars Released

Silver dollars celebrating the centennial of Boys Town are now available. The U.S. Mint today, Mar. 9, released the $1 silver coins along with companion $5 gold coins and clad half-dollars. A three-coin set is also available.

The commemorative coins are produced at three different U.S. Mint facilities in collector qualities of proof and uncirculated. The set includes a proof edition of each coin. The commemoratives and set will only be produced and sold during this calendar year.

Each denomination features their own unique obverse and reverse designs — all of them emblematic of Boys Town. The nonprofit organization (www.boystown.org) was founded in 1917 by Father Flanagan to serve children of all races and religions.

$5 Gold Designs

Designed by Designer Donna Weaver and sculpted by Don Everhart, the gold obverse (heads) design features a portrait of Father Flanagan. Inscriptions include "BOYS TOWN CENTENNIAL," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "FR. EDWARD FLANAGAN," "LIBERTY," and "2017."

Also designed by Weaver but sculpted by Jim Licaretz, the gold reverse (tails) design features an outstretched hand holding a young oak tree growing from an acorn. As stated in the idiom "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow," this design represents the potential of each child helped by Boys Town to grow into a productive, complete adult. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "THE WORK WILL CONTINUE," "FIVE DOLLARS," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

Silver Dollar Designs

Designed by Emily Damstra and sculpted by Joseph Menna, the silver reverse design features a young girl sitting alone and gazing upward into the branches of an oak tree looking for help. The empty space around the girl is deliberate and meant to show the child’s sense of loneliness, isolation, and helplessness. Inscriptions include "BOYS TOWN," "When you help a child today…," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," and "1917-2017."

Damstra and Menna also worked as the designer and sculptor for the silver dollar reverse, which features an oak tree offering shelter and a sense of belonging to the family holding hands below it, which includes the girl from the obverse. Inscriptions include "…you write the history of tomorrow," "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "ONE DOLLAR," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."

Clad Half-Dollar Designs

Designed by Chris Costello and sculpted by Renata Gordon, the clad obverse design features an older brother holding the hand of his younger brother in 1917. They walk toward Father Flanagan’s Boys Home and the 1940s Pylon representing what would become Boys Town. Inscriptions include "BOYS TOWN," "1917," "2017," "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," and "Saving Children."

Also designed by Costello but sculpted by Phebe Hemphill, the clad reverse features a present-day Boys Town neighborhood of homes where children are schooled and nurtured by caring families. Out of these homes come young adults who graduate from high school and the Boys Town program. Inscriptions include "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "Healing Families," and "HALF DOLLAR."

Coin Specifications

The coins are produced to standard commemorative specifications. The following chart highlights their compositions and major specs:

	$5 GOLD COIN	SILVER DOLLAR	HALF DOLLAR
Composition:	90% Gold, 6% Silver, Balance Copper	90% Silver, 10% Copper	8.33% Nickel, Balance Copper
Finish:	Proof & Uncirculated
Weight (grams):	8.359	26.730	11.340
Diameter (inches):	0.850	1.500	1.205
Edge:	Reeded
Mint Mark	W	P	S (Proof) & D (Unc.)

 

Surcharges Benefit Boys Town

As is standard with U.S. commemorative coins authorized by Congress, surcharges will be collected on the sale of each in the amount of $35 per gold coin, $10 for each silver dollar, and $5 per 50c clad coin. As long as the coins make money, these surcharges will go to Boys Town to carry out its cause of caring for and assisting children and families in underserved communities across America.

Commemorative Coin Pricing

All six coins are available at discounted pricing during an introductory period that ends on April 10 at 3 p.m. ET, when regular pricing takes effect. Product options and their prices are as follows:

PRODUCT OPTION	INTRODUCTORY PRICE	REGULAR PRICE
Proof $5 Gold	Per Pricing Grid*
Uncirculated $5 Gold
Proof Silver Dollar	47.95	52.95
Uncirculated Silver Dollar	46.95	51.95
Proof Half Dollar	21.95	26.95
Uncirculated Half Dollar	20.95	25.95
Three-Coin Proof Set	N/A	Per Pricing Grid*

 

*Prices for the gold products can change weekly when there are significant and sustained changes in the value of gold, as described and listed by the U.S. Mint on this pricing grid.

Ordering and Mintage Limits

Order the coins and set from the Mint’s commemorative coin pages, found here. Place phone orders using 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).

The United States Mint is authorized under Public Law 114-30 to strike and sell up to 50,000 $5 gold coins, 350,000 silver dollars, and 300,000 half-dollars. Customer demand decides the ratio of proof to uncirculated coins produced.